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ToxFAQsTM for Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs)

This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about PBBs. For more information, you
may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-800-232-4636. This
fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous
substances and their health effects. This information is important
because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure
to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration,
how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether
other chemicals are present.

Highlights

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are chemicals produced by human activity and are found in plastics used in many consumer products to make them difficult to burn. PBBs are no longer produced but can still be found in the environment. Some people who ate food contaminated with PBBs in the 1970s had skin problems. PBBs have been found in at least 9 of the 1,647 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What are PBBs?

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are manufactured
chemicals. They are added to the plastics used to make products
like computer monitors, televisions, textiles, plastic foams,
etc. to make them difficult to burn. PBBs can leave these
plastics and find their way into the environment. PBBs are
usually colorless to off-white solids. PBBs are mixtures of
brominated biphenyl compounds known as congeners.

In the United States, manufacturing of
PBBs was stopped in 1976. PBBs are still around in the environment
because they do not degrade easily or quickly.

How can PBBs affect my health?

Most of what we know about the health
effects of PBBs in people comes from studies of people in
Michigan who ate PBB-contaminated animal products for several
months. Some residents complained of nausea, abdominal pain,
loss of appetite, joint pain, fatigue, and weakness. However,
it could not be clearly established that PBBs were the cause
of these health problems.

There is stronger evidence that PBBs
may have caused skin problems, such as acne, in some people
who ate contaminated food. Some workers exposed to PBBs by
breathing and skin contact for days to months also developed
acne.

Studies in animals exposed to large amounts
of PBBs for a short time or to smaller amounts for longer
time show that PBBs can cause weight loss, skin disorders,
nervous and immune systems effects, and effects on the liver,
kidneys, and thyroid gland.

How likely are PBBs to cause cancer?

We do not know whether PBBs can cause
cancer in humans, but we know that they can cause liver cancer
in rats and mice exposed to very high concentrations of PBBs.
Based on the findings in animals, the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that PBBs may reasonably
be anticipated to be carcinogens. The International Agency
for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that PBBs are
possibly carcinogenic to humans.

How can PBBs affect children?

Children are exposed to PBBs in the same
way as adults, mainly by eating contaminated food. PBBs dissolve
and accumulate in fat, so PBBs can be found in the breast
milk of exposed mothers and be transferred to babies and young
children. PBBs also cross the placenta and reach the fetus
before babies are born.

Behavioral changes are seen in animals
that were exposed to high levels of PBBs in the womb and by
nursing. Such exposures also caused changes in thyroid hormone
levels in the newborn animals and birth defects.

No specific health effects attributed
to PBBs were found in children who ate contaminated food in
the Michigan accident or in children born to mothers who ate
the contaminated food.

Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to PBBs?

There are tests that can detect PBBs
in blood, body fat, and breast milk. These tests can tell
whether you have been exposed to high levels of the chemicals,
but cannot tell the exact amount or type of PBBs you were
exposed to, or whether harmful effects will occur. Blood tests
are the easiest and safest way for detecting recent exposures
to large amounts of PBBs. These tests are not routinely available
at the doctor's office, but samples can be sent to laboratories
that have the proper equipment.

ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in
recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.

Information line and technical assistance:
Phone: 888-422-8737

To order toxicological profiles, contact:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000

Disclaimer
Some PDF files may be electronic conversions from paper copy or other electronic ASCII text files. This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors. Users are referred to the original paper copy of the toxicological profile for the official text, figures, and tables. Original paper copies can be obtained via the directions on the toxicological profile home page, which also contains other important information about the profiles.

The information contained here was correct at the time of publication. Please check with the appropriate agency for any changes to the regulations or guidelines cited.